A Promise to Protect
by wingsofseyfert12
Summary: It is easy to lose sight of those who have been important in your life one way or another. One night of musing suddenly makes Subaru realize the reason behind his successes. He could only hope that the one who had inspired him to go as far as he did has not already forgotten him.


Disclaimer: All rights to the name "Ro-Kyu-Bu!" belong solely to Barnum Stdio and Sentai Filmworks. I neither own this franchise nor do I profit from the writing of this story.

Author's Note: I absolutely loved this anime. Hesistant to watch it but loved it to death at the end. This is going to be a small one-shot set a bit further in the future. I have not either read the manga or novel (if there is one). Anyway hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Hasegawa Subaru sometimes got annoyed by his name. What his good mother and father were thinking when they had decided to name him after a car brand was beyond him. It was something that was not really noticed the first year in high school due to his club being disbanded but was recognized soon enough once the club was reinstated a year later.

Subaru's aggressiveness at "Small Forward" was what got attention garnered to his name and soon the majority of his teammates were calling him "Car Wrecker" in tribute to his name. Subaru hated the nickname but that did not stop him from playing his best especially when it came to charging forward for lay-ups and drawing fouls; he was really good at acting.

His senior year in high school saw his school make it all the way to National Quaterfinals but were soon defeated by their opponent whose school seemed to have consisted of mutants. They couldn't possibly be Japanese as even their shortest player was taller than their Center. Even so they kept the series close but in the end they just did not have the physicality to keep up.

Of course Subaru was disappointed but he knew when to call it quits and acknowledge defeat at the hands of a superior foe.

It was not all in vain as Subaru had received several sports scholarships for his unprecedented play at his position and was highly sought out.

So it was that Subaru was in his room resting as he was contemplating as to what he was going to do with his future. As he shifted in his bed he managed to eye the photo of him and the girls that he had coached back at Keishin Academy.

He could not help but smile.

At the time he was not willing to waste his time coaching a bunch of hopeless girls. He hated to admit it but he was really only looking out for number one and was quite pissed that his opportunity to play ball was cut because the captain of the team happened to be a loli-con.

How disgusting.

Subaru could not see how a grown teenager, practically a man, would harbor such an attraction for a girl nearly four years his junior. It was silly and gross and because of that he could not play.

Perhaps this was why he was so reluctant to coach the girls when his aunt had come to him. They had represented a reason as to why he couldn't play basketball, had contributed to his feelings of discontent and even worthlessness. He was not smart by any means and constantly relied on the help of Aoi, his best friend, to shoulder him through his exams.

As it showed the majority of the girls were hopeless and when he was told that their club was to be disbanded to make priority for the boy's team, who were actually aiming to play competitively, he could not help but sympathize with the boys. The girls were not serious about basketball they treated it like some sort of silly game like hopscotch or something. Subaru shamefully thought at the time that they girls were wholly unworthy of playing on the court.

That was, until, he witnessed the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his short life.

At the end of one of the practices Subaru remembered a small, pink haired girl by the name of Tomoka Minato take hold of a basketball and make a jump shot from field goal range. It was the most perfectly executed, beautiful jump shot he had ever seen.

And the girl was only twelve years old.

It was then that Subaru realized that he was in the midst of a serious contender, a girl who was totally passionate in the game of basketball. And had the skills to back it up.

As Subaru eyed the various acceptance forms from different colleges he could not help but feel grateful to that little girl. She was the one who had changed his mind and had him coach their team. She was the one who had reawakened his desire to play basketball.

She was the one who had wormed her way into his heart.

When he had stopped her at the overpass after having telling her that he would not coach them anymore he could remember the pained expression on her face, her unwillingness to give up her desire.

More than that, in the sunset, he realized that she was beautiful.

It was a guilty thought that Subaru had hidden in the very depths of his mind. He would never admit it to anyone, probably not to Tomaka herself, but he genuinely thought that the girl, even at twelve years of age, was beautiful.

Tomaka Minato had unknowingly set Subaru's course of life in action and in the end of the year he had nearly lead them to victory against the best girl's private school teams in the nation. Though they had lost it had served to be a blessing in disguise as the girls continued to push themselves beyond their limits to get better.

It also strengthen Subaru's resolve and he too vowed to do his best to get stronger and not fail when the time came.

Soon though the girls graduated from the academy and were to go to middle school. He genuinely felt sad at not being to see them again and coach them. He really did enjoy bringing joy to their lives because in doing he felt like he had fulfilled his own.

While he did not see them anymore he still kept up with them as much as he could mostly from accounts through his aunt.

At first they had all continued to play basketball but eventually they could not play together though they still remained very close friends.

Hinata was simply not made to play basketball. She was too small and too passive in a game where speed, size and aggression was the norm. Saki, though very competent, was more content to be at the sidelines and soon devoted more time to academic clubs that wetted her superior intellect.

However Tomoka, Maho and Airi remained in the team and the three had become fearsome in their middleschool. Tomoka was so aggressive and relentless at Small Forward that most other teams simply could not keep up with her. Whenever they did they found themselves getting gassed and/or on the other side of a foul.

Maho had developed her shooting to a near art form and it was rare that she missed from field goal range. Her dribbling still needed work but as long as she was on the paint or beyond then she was fine.

Airi, for the first part of middle school, was still meek and insecure despite her size but an event had occurred that had nearly given Subaru a heart attack when he had first heard it from his aunt.

It turned out that one day both Hinata and Airi had taken off from school late and were walking home together when they were ambushed by a man wanting to abduct Hinata. Airi was understandably petrified at the turn of events and was knocked aside roughly as the man had proceeded to drag Hinata away to a nearby alleyway.

For the first time in her short life Hinata was terrified and pleaded for Airi to help her. The tall girl was so frightened herself she did not know what to do. Airi suddenly realized that for the first time her size was not a curse but a blessing now in their situation. Would she forsake her small friend just because she was too frightened to take advantage of her size? Suddenly she had remembered her friendship with the small girl, how the pinkette had made her so comfortable and accepted her as her friend despite the size difference. At a time when she felt so isolated, so ridiculed for her unnatural size Hinata alone seemed to have reached out to her.

If it wasn't for Hinata then Airi was sure that she would not have been able to make friends with Tomaka, Maho or Saki. Before the girl even knew it she found courage from deep within and felt her resolve harden like steel.

Airi had gone through a growth spurt (as unreal as that sounded) recently and now, seeing her friend in distress, had decided to put her new found strength to the test and immediately did battle with the older man.

He was shorter than she but he was still monstrously strong as he was a man in his prime while Airi was still a young teenage girl whose body was still developing despite her size. But the sudden ferocity of her attack in defense of Hinata had taken the man by surprise and this surprise had given Airi just enough time to hold him off from Hinata until help could be sent, in which their assailant had given up the fight and ran off.

The event had served to be a turning point in Airi's life. She suddenly discovered a bold, powerful side to herself that accepted the fact that she was not only big, but big AND powerful. That instead of thinking her size as a liability it was in fact a blessing and not just in basketball. She could use it to protect her friends from harm and that was reason enough for her to finally shed away the insecurity of her size.

Airi was still the same kind and loving teenage girl that Subaru had always known but now she was a completely different animal on the court. If she was strong enough to fend off a fully grown man in the prime of his life long enough to save her friend then what reason did she have to fear from other teenage girls much smaller than her?

No she wasn't afraid and she turned to become the most feared center in their prefecture. She had no mercy and was relentless in her attempts to get rebounds. It was futile for the much smaller girls of her competition to even try and take a rebound from her. They might as well have tried against Shaq and do no better.

While Subaru did not see them personally he did keep up with them and was glad of how much they had matured. Their middle school had won where his middle school had failed and he could not be any more proud of his girls.

How much he wanted to get them all together for a last swimming party or something but he knew that he simply did not have the time. Instead he decided to call the one person that had changed his life forever.

He was going to call Tomaka and set something up.

As he reached for his phone Subaru could not help but feel annoyed that his heart was beating so quickly. Sure she was only three years younger than he. In fact she would be entering high school just about now.

He had not seen her nor the other girls for an entire year due to his time being swallowed up by college entrance exams, finals and basketball.

_I wonder if she still remembers me?_

He picked up his cell and started to dial the numbers to the phone number she had given him three years earlier.

_I hope it is still the same number._

The ringing took a frustratingly long amount of time but soon a voice answered.

"Hello may I ask who's calling?"

Subaru nearly froze as he heard the voice.

_There is no way? Is that really Tomoka? Her voice sounds so much more...mature. Get a grip S-Man! Of course she would sound more mature it HAS been three years since you actually talked to her. _

"Ah yes I was calling to ask whether I can speak to Tomaka Minato please."

There was an audible gasp from the other side of the line before the girl returned once more.

"S-Subaru-san?"

The young man could not help but feel extremely nervous for some reason.

_Cool it. She is the girl you had coached three years ago you should not be this nervous. _

_Except for the fact that she is older now._

"Yes Tomaka I'm glad you remembered my voice."

"I-I had thought that it was you but I did not know for sure. I saw your number but thought that perhaps you had changed it. I'm so happy to hear you again!"

Subaru could not help but smile his nervousness dying down. Despite the change to her voice he could deny the mannerisms coming from the girl on the other line. She was indeed Tomaka and seemed to have not changed.

"Believe me I'm happy to hear you again too Tomaka. I was wondering if you wanted to get together this Sunday? Maybe get some ice-cream or something."

There was yet another audible gasp from the other side of the line and Subaru raised his eyebrow as he heard the girl mutter nonsense to herself.

Tomaka herself was besides herself with both nervousness and happiness.

_Did Subaru-san just ask me to a date?_

_No there is no way. He just wants to meet with me and catch up on old times or something. I just wish that he-_

_No! _

_Don't think like that. You know that he will never see you like that even though you have liked him since he promised to protect you._

_Did you know that Subaru? I liked you then and still like you now..._

"I'll be more than happy to go with you this Sunday! I'm looking forward to it!" replied Tomaka cheerfully.

Subaru smiled in both joy and relief. He was afraid that Tomaka would have been unnerved at him calling her after so long and then ask her out on a Sunday.

_Sheesh its like I'm asking her out on a date or something._

_Of course this isn't what it is. It isn't a date...or is it? Why do I feel like I would want this to be a date?_

However her joy at his asking her to meet with him on Sunday set his heart at ease.

"Great! Sunday it is! Hope to see you Tomaka." said Subaru.

"Me too. Hope to you soon Subaru-san!"

* * *

Subaru did not know what to expect when he was there waiting at the train station but he soon saw the familiar head of pink hair and was shocked at what he saw.

The little girl that he come to know and love was now grown into an attractive fifteen year old teenager.

Her hair was still cut in the same way she had it back in elementary. She was sporting a white, tight tee shirt with a obscure logo at the center that drew attention to her still budding B-Cup breasts while also sporting a pair of jean shorts went down to mid thigh.

It was apparent that she had grown up quite a bit since the last time Subaru had seen her.

_If she has grown this much then how far has Airi come?_

The thought was quite perverted and Subaru did his best to bury it and put it out of mind.

"Umm...do I have something on me?" asked Tomaka nervously.

Subaru was disturbed from his thoughts when he realized that he had been staring at Tomaka the entire time. At once he felt his face heat up as he came up with a fib right on the spot.

"N-No! I was just in shock at how much you had grown up. You are almost as tall as me." said Subaru as he knew that he wasn't the tallest man in the world being only 5'6.

Tomaka sighed a bit in relief as she was frightened that there was perhaps a stain on her shirt or something. She laughed to herself as she scratched the back of her head.

"Well I guess I DID grow up a bit. I'm not in elementary school anymore though it looks like you didn't grow at all." said Tomaka with a light jab.

Subaru was shocked at what she said.

_Did she just say that to me? If I did not know any better it seemed like she was flirting with me. Not that I have a problem with that._

_Wait what am I saying?_

_She used to be my student! I had known her since she was a little girl! I should not be happy that she could be flirting with me! Damn if I didn't know better I would think I was turning to a loli-con myself._

Of course Subaru did not know that Tomaka was now too old to be considered a loli-con interest but still he was having a bit of trouble seeing her more than just that twelve year old girl.

_The beautiful twelve year old with the prettiest jump shot I have ever..._

_There I go again! Stop it!_

"Are you saying that I'm short Tomaka? Not that it matters since I can still probably wipe the court with anyone short or not." said Subaru proudly.

"I'm willing to take you up on that!" replied Tomaka with a grin on her face once again startling Subaru.

_She was never this cocky before. I wonder if it had to do with the fact that she and her team made it all the way to middle school nationals and won. Probably has. I wouldn't mind putting her in her place._

"Cocky aren't you? Where was the pretty little girl that used to listen to every word I said?" jabbed Subaru as he found himself genuinely enjoying the banter between him and his former student.

For a moment Tomaka blushed as she heard Subaru refer to her as 'pretty' but soon put it aside and responded in kind.

"That 'pretty' girl you are talking about is standing right next to you. I just happen to consider what others tell me before blindly following them now." replied Tomaka rather smugly once more.

It was that comment that had Subaru now turn around and regard Tomaka. The sly, confident teenager suddenly shrank under his gaze and Tomaka suddenly felt like that infatuated, shy little twelve year old again.

Subaru could not help but realize just how pretty Tomaka had become. Sure he thought her pretty, even beautiful at times, when she was a child but it was purely because he acknowledged that she was a pretty little girl.

But now she had grown and Subaru could not help but admire her. She was pretty still, especially with those pink eyes that still betrayed her innocence. But now instead of just acknowledging her beauty he genuinely felt attraction now. It was scary to think that just three years prior she was still just a little girl but now she was on the cusp to becoming a woman.

_Who knew that three years could make such a huge difference?_

"You're right Tomaka. What was I thinking? That pretty girl I first met three years ago is still right here next to me. Though to be honest I think she has only gotten prettier since then."

Tomaka suddenly felt so shy and embarrassed yet at the same time so happy that Subaru was seeing her in this light. It was like a dream was coming true.

_H-He said that I was pretty...prettier since the last time. Oh Subaru I hope you are not just playing with me. I'm not a little girl anymore. Can't you see that..._

Before Tomaka knew it she and Subaru were alone in a park as they took a seat on a bench. The weather was beautiful, bright and sunny without it being a scorcher.

Tomaka eyed Subaru, who had been quiet since telling her of her prettiness earlier and wondered if perhaps he had gotten embarrassed.

"Tomaka the very first thing I want to say to you is thank you." said Subaru humbly.

"W-Why do you want to thank me?" asked Tomaka.

"Three years ago I felt that everything was over. I'm not a smart man. All I know is basketball so when the team got disbanded my first year I was devastated. I thought of perhaps leaving basketball forever. But that was when I met you. You were the one who gave me the desire to play basketball again. The desire to overcome anything and do my best. I have lead my high school to the quarterfinals in Nationals and now I have so many scholarships from colleges willing to pay my education to play that its silly. However I know that I'm blessed and none of this would have happened had I not me you Tomaka. Of course I love the other girls as well and know that they too have helped me but you...you are special. I knew it the day I saw you perform the most beautiful jump shot I have ever seen. You hear me? I have you to thank for all my good fortune now. For that you will always have a special place in my heart." said Subaru with the utmost gratitude.

Tomaka did not know what to say only that tears were brimming in her eyes. Who knew that her former coach had felt so strongly about her? That SHE was the reason for his success? It was selfish of her to think so but she honestly was touched that he thought so highly of her.

"I-I do not know what to say but know this. You too had helped me realize my dreams. I was able to take our middle school to nationals and more than ever I'm happy. Happy to do the thing I love the most. And to believe I would have given it all up if not for you Subaru-san. I too am grateful to you for having faith in us." said Tomaka quietly.

"T-Tomka..."

The young teenage girl turned to regard Subaru when all of all sudden she felt his lips on hers. For a moment she was terribly startled her pink eyes widening but soon she closed them in contentment as she placed her daintily hand on his cheek and drew him closer. The kiss was deep but not too intimate and soon they pulled away.

Subaru's face went from pure bliss and soon blackened in regret. At once he started to mutter.

"Tomaka! I'm so sorry. I did not mean to-"

Subaru's words were lost as Tomaka took initiative and kissed him once more. This time the kiss was deeper as both found their hidden desires come out into the fore. Both had so much to thank the other for. If one had not found the other then they would never have gone as far as they did.

It was as if they were Fated to meet.

They pulled apart once more.

"You have nothing to feel sorry about Subaru. I remember the day when you came to me when you promised that you would protect me and my dream. It was then that I knew that loved you. For the longest time I thought that it was a childish crush but now I realize that my feelings have been true all along. Subaru I want to ask you. Do you still wish to protect me? Do you still want to protect my dreams?" asked Tomaka quietly.

Subaru did not know what to think. The fact that he had kissed Tomaka was surprising considering that it was only three years ago that she was that small, little girl that he had taken to teaching.

But it was different now. They were both at an age where they could reciprocate their feelings and this time he was not going to ignore it.

"You're only fifteen Tomaka but I cannot ignore what I feel for you as well. I have felt this way about you for so long. I told myself that I was some sort of sicko to want to have you even when you were only twelve. But now I realize that my feelings too were genuine. In fact I realized them so much more now since I can put in perspective just how important you are to me. I love you. I loved you as a coach. I loved you as an older brother. And now I love you as a woman. I promise you that I WILL protect you! I will protect you and your dreams and that no matter what I will see that they are done." said Subaru with resolution.

Tomaka nearly melted at the spot hearing him say this. It was like repeat of that fated evening three years ago only this time their feelings were so much more now. And she knew that Subaru would keep his promise. He would protect her just as he did in the past.

For the third time they came together and shared a long kiss with each other. They had felt for each other like this for the longest time but it was only until now that they could safely express their feelings without having to worry about the scorn of public opinion.

They soon separated.

"I'm so happy Tomaka. Happier than I have ever been. You complete me and I will never leave your side. With that said there is only one thing that will make me happier." said Subaru.

"And what would that be Subaru-san?" asked Tomaka with a dreamy smile.

"A one on one match! First to ten! I want to see how much you have improved!" challenged Subaru.

At once Tomaka straightened and grinned at the challenge.

"You're on! And don't you dare take it easy on me this time. Do that and I'll leave you in the dust!" responded Tomaka spiritedly.

* * *

This was the beginning of a union which would spark what would be known as "The Power Couple." Both had gone to the University of Tokyo and had performed exemplary in their respective male and female side of basketball with Subaru once again leading his team all the way to the semi-finals of Nationals while Tomaka helping her team win on the female side.

There was always that friendly banter that Subaru could never complete the job as he and his teams never won Nationals, never in middle school, high school or college while Tomaka had lead all of her teams to victories in each.

However Subaru never cared. He was happy to see Tomaka realize her dreams and if that meant sacrificing his own time in the spotlight then so be it.

For a time both had taken up coaching at the University as the "Power Couple" and for nearly half a decade lead Tokyo U to a basketball dynasty where they had won the National Championship three out of the five years they worked there. They had so much talent coming not only from Japan but even from the States to the far west that they did not know what to do with it.

Soon though they realized their true calling in life and returned back to where it all started...Keishin Academy, where they both coached the youth leagues. It was there that they shared their friendly rivalry with Tomaka's girl's team beating Subaru's boy's team and vice versa. However the husband and wife loved each other and were utterly happy if one or the other won. There was never any resentment from a loss.

So they continued to coach at this quaint little school for the rest of their days fulfilling their own desires of happiness while at the same time making a difference in the lives of the children around them.

Yes they would always cherish Keishin Academy and give their all to the school that had given so much to them.

The school where Fate deemed they meet.

They would have it no other way.

* * *

Author's Note: Perhaps a bit on the whimsical side but I truly like Tomaka in the series. I'm not into loli's but I genuinely enjoyed her character so I thought this an appropriate ending for her. Sorry if I did not include Aoi or the other girls as much. Anyway hit me up and let me know what you all think!


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